June 10, 2002 - News at a Glance

06/10/02 12:00AM

Reapportionment
Lawmakers got caught up in a parliamentary fight on Saturday that made it impossible for the Legislature to adjourn. They'll be back in Montpelier this week with the state's capital bill and reapportionment still on the table. (Listen to the story online or read the transcript.) (VPR)

Goddard College
Trustees at Goddard College will wait a little longer to decide whether or not to close down the private, non-profit liberal arts school. At a weekend meeting, trustees at first voted to shut down the college's residency programs, which would have closed the Plainfield campus. The Board then decided to postpone a final decision on Goddard's future until August 15. (VPR)

NH Mills Reopening
The paper mill in Gorham, NH is gearing up to start production after a 10-month shut-down. A sister plant in Berlin, NH should also be reopening. (AP)

Burlington Electric
The Burlington City Council is to decide whether the Electric Department or the entire city should pay the costs of researching a failed effort to "wire" the city for high-speed Internet access and cable television. (AP)

NH Senate Race
In New Hampshire, the battle for the Republican Senate seat held by Bob Smith became official. Smith is running against Congressman John Sununu in the primary and Governor Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, will face the winner in November. (AP)

Mr. Rogers at Dartmouth
Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood delivered the commencement address at Dartmouth College over the weekend. Some student questioned whether he had sufficient gravitas to address the graduation audience. (AP)

Springfield Recreation Fields
U.S. Army National Guard engineers in a training project will build new practice fields for the high school and junior high in Springfield. (AP)

VAC Strategic Plan
The Vermont Arts Council has outlined a new five-year plan, concentrating on advocacy efforts for the arts and technological assistance to arts groups. (AP)

Summer Tourism
Vermont's tourism industry is in good shape for a strong summer season, according to industry officials. They say Vermont will benefit from vacationers who are reluctant to fly. (AP)

Waterbury Alcohol Ordinance
Firefighters in Waterbury will be allowed to drink alcohol in their fire stations under controlled conditions, but the Selectboard will pass on all other requests for drinking on municipal property. (AP)

Lawyer to be Sentenced
A Burlington lawyer is due in court today for sentencing. He was convicted on charges that he assaulted a man in a wheelchair. (AP)

Cows on Parade
Brattleboro held its first-ever "Strolling of the Heifers" street parade on June 8. The event honored the dairy farms of Vermont, and played on the radition Running of Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. (AP)

West Nile Virus
The Vermont Department of Health is testing dead birds again for evidence of the potentially serious West Nile Virus. The birds are carriers of the disease and it can be spread to humans by mosquitoes. None of 300 birds tested in Vermont last year showed that they had the virus. (AP)

Microchip Innovation
IBM engineers say they have found a way to make computer chips perform better on less electricity. It's not known if the new technology will be produced at the Essex Junction plant. (AP)

Church of Christ
The Vermont Conference of United Churches of Christ has approved a document that urges churches to accept homosexuals in their congregations. The document is not binding on the 160 autonomous Churches of Christ in Vermont. (AP)